50_dollar_bag was angry, angry that he was left no hot water for a shower this morning
.
But meanwhile in an alternate history Hakizamanabag II was enjoying being bathed by a couple of Nubile Nubians
That done he strolled out into the war tent outside Orleans, the smell of burning cheese in the air, it wasnt unpleasant, kind of like cheese on toast.
Hakizamanbag II ripped open the tent flap of the war office and was greeted by Wen Amon, Tiajy and Lord marcher were not there, which was the norm as Wen Amon spoke of Tiajy and Lord Marcher frequently but as yet no-one had ever seen them. Hakizamanabag was starting to believe that Wen Amon, despite his superior war prowess, was 1 horse short of a war chariot.
Greetings Hakizamanabag, how goes it? enquired Wen Amon.
Im well, and you? replied Hakizamanabag.
Not bad, not bad. Glad to be handing over command to you, Im going to enjoy mucking in with the boys again, its been a while since Ive lifted an axe. Are you looking forward to becoming Tiajy and Lord Marcher?
Hakizamanabag blushed slightly realizing that Tiajy and Lord marcher was actually a title not a person. Yes indeed, shall we begin?
Wen Amon and Hakizamanabag talked at length about the state of the war against France, troop numbers and locations, positions of the enemy and the state of the nation. It was a lot to take in. When they had finished they bade farewell and went their separate ways, Hakizamanbag retired to his tent, Wen Amon went off to lead the elite company of Axemen who were a huge part in the capture of Paris and Orleans.
Hakizamanbag was now reclined on his bed reading through correspondence from the homeland, reports were in about civil unrest in Memphis and Helipolis. About 30,000 citizens were unhappy about the war, screw them he thought, what do they know about Egypt and its destiny! he shouted as he threw the scroll across the tent.
One thing was bothering him about the war, Rheims, the last bastion of the French. Perched upon a hill deep in the jungle to the North of Paris, defended by 5 companies of archers. Archers while not particularly troublesome on flat terrain, were particularly dangerous when holding higher ground and even moreso when able to fire down from rooftops in cities. France as a nation was decimated, while still more advanced than Egypt it was a shadow of its former self, it had knowledge of crafting superior weaponry from a mine they had outside Paris where they took ore and made a stronger metal than the Bronze of an axe. But now they had nothing, only gold.
Gold. That reminded Hakizamanbag of a cohort of French soldiers hed fought outside of Rheims, they had crafted golden swords, a sight to behold as they glimmered in the sun, but very ineffective as a weapon, too heavy to swing. They were easily destroyed as half of the men took their swords and fled to Russia trying to sell them to get into Catherines phants.
Some good news though, William Shickard (not a very Egyptian name) had discovered a new way of casting metal, Metal Casting he called it, this would allow the industrious Egyptians to construct Forges and workshops where great things could be made like Giant Statues. Well it wasnt exactly all good news as William apparently died a couple of weeks later in an unfortunate smelting accident.
More good news, a company of War Chariots found a hamlet of French villagers living outside the burnt city of Lyons, and had razed it to the ground netting 30 gold for Egypt.
More reports followed but most of them were of no great consequence, so Hakizamanabag slept on the issue of the war.
The next day Hakizamanabag had made up his mind, the war was to be called off, for now. He sent an envoy to Rheims saying that Egypt was ready to hear what Napolean would give up for peace.
Two days later the envoy returned. Napolean offers the knowledge of Code of Laws and Polytheism he announced.
Splendid! Replied Hakizamanabag. Make it so.
So it was that peace reigned in Egypt for 100 years. At least on the surface, Hakizamanabag was not the peaceful type, and nor were the rest of the Egyptian advisors and governors, war was always just around the corner, this time in the form of the Indians. The sniveling Gandhi had placed a city to the West of Helipolis and the North of great Thebes, this was Egyptian land marked out 1000s of years before when the first scouts passed through the area, and to top it off it contained a source of iron in its hinterland which Egyptian prospectors had discovered when Iron working was learnt from the Sumerians.
Hakizamanabag had long ago ordered the accumulation of troops on the Heliopolis/Varanasi border in preparation for an assault, the timing of the attack was undecided though. The Egyptian army, whilst mighty was lacking in certain areas. The French didnt possess any horses for chariots so as such the Egyptian army had no need for a unit to counter chariots, the Indians on the other hand did. A scout sent to reconnoiter Indian land had seen several chariots which could destroy Axemen with ease. So Hakizamanabag ordered several companied of Spearman to be trained. Also the newly learnt knowledge of construction had lead to the idea of large wooden catapult which could cause large scale collateral damage to enemies and bring down city defenses. Iron swords were also being crafted across the land.
In 660AD the opportunity came. Gilgamesh the leader of the Sumerian people declared war upon the Indians! While this was excellent news Hakizamanabag was unsure of whether to press the advantage and attack also. This was quickly decided for him when reports came in of 4 teams of workers mining the iron outside of Varanasi. Capture them, and destroy Varanasi, burn it to the ground!
So the order was given and 2 companies of chariots rode to Varanasi and defeated the archer and axeman garrison without loss and the city was burned to the ground. Minimal plunder was gathered as Varanasi was actually pretty Sh1t.
Not much happened in the war in the following years, small skirmishes happened, an axeman company destroyed a wandering Indian swordsman roaming around the ruins of Varanasi, and Wen Amons legendary Axeman company laid the smack down on an Indian warrior who entered from the north of Heliopolis and beelined to the horse pasture to the West of Heliopolis.
More troops were assembled though and soon the main army was joined by 2 catapults, and 2 swordsmen units were not far behind but Hakizamanabag decided the next target, Vaginagara would fall easily with the present troops, and haste was necessary as 4 companies of Sumerian troops were spotted around the Vaginagara area.
So the army was ordered to march on.
When they arrived outside the city of Vaginagara the new catapults were put into action, a volley of boulders was launched into the city destroying many buildings and minimizing cover for the defending troops.
The ever keen Wen Amon was the first into the battle, his company obliterated a company of archers, while another company of specialist city raider axemen squared off against a company of Indian axemen with similar results. With all opposition destroyed the city was burnt down.
With the battle won Hakizamanabag was at a crossroad, does he continue his push into India claiming more glory, or does he let another take his place?
Had he achieved much as a leader? The Egyptian people were more educated, more productive, roading infrastructure was more efficient, and He had built a mighty statue in the former French capital
. The army was stronger. Was this enough?
Hakizamanabags answer was yes. War is not everything it makes the nation bigger, but not more cultured. Its brings in plundered wealth, but doesnt help their people to make their own. It brings in more resources, but doesnt teach people how to use them better. Plus it 12 in the morning over here.
So Hakizamanabag the second hands the reigns to the next War advisor, Pawelo.
A plain english report will follow.
Thanks Gandhi, I declare on him capture the workers and attack the city with a couple of warchariots, win both battles without loss and raze.
.
( the ideal would be that he softened the city garrison enough to be easy to kill them when we get there )
), but I wanted to post some thoughts:
?
